1998 Utility Trailer

Routine

Owners filed 12 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires › tread/belt. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Tread/Belt2
000
Tires2
010
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer › Lpg Systems › Water Heater2
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Structure1
100
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
000
Service Brakes, Air1
000
Power Train › Axle Assembly › Axle Shaft1
000
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Check Valve02V210001
Filed Aug 15, 2002206 vehiclesUtility Trailer Mfg. Co.

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH SPRING BRAKE CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLIES, THERE IS A RECESSED AREA ON TOP OF THE VALVE IN WHICH A BRASS GUIDE PIN FITS DOWN INSIDE THE BODY OF THE VALVE AND IS HELD IN PLACE BY A STEEL SNAP RING. THE RECESSED AREA ALLOWS ACCUMULATION OF WATER, DIRT, AND/OR CHEMICALS TO BUILD UP BEHIND THE SNAP RING TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL NO LONGER CONTAIN THE GUIDE PIN RESULTING IN A FAILURE OF THE AIR VALVE.

Risk. FAILURE OF THE VALVE IN AN EMPTY OR LIGHTLY LOADED TRAILER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION COULD RESULT IN A HARD APPLICATION OF THE SPRING BRAKES, POSSIBLY LOCKING UP THE TRAILER WHEELS AND RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. SEALCO WILL PROVIDE A REPAIR KIT AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS TO ITS CUSTOMERS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SEALCO AT 602-253-1007 OR UTILITY AT 626-965-1541.

Wheels › Rim98V120004
Filed Jul 22, 199828 vehiclesUtility Trailer Mfg. Co.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: DUAL AXLE, SEMI-VAN AND FLATBED, TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH AFTERMARKET ALUMINUM DUAL WHEELS, 22.5X8.25, ONE-PIECE, TUBELESS, SUPPLIED BY ACCURIDE/AKW. CERTAIN DESIGN REVISIONS COMBINED WITH PROCESS CONDITIONS CAUSED FATIGUE CRACKS IN THESE WHEELS.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE FAILURE OF THESE WHEELS.

Remedy. ACCURIDE/AKW WILL REPLACE THESE WHEELS.

What owners reported

Newest filings
TiresFire
Filed Aug 22, 2006IL

1998 UTILTY TRAILER'S RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT DAMAGING THE UNIT. *KB THE CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND THE TIRE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *NM

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Apr 17, 2001NV

TWO KELLY SPRINGFIELD TIRES ON 5TH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WITH ONLY 6,000 MILES ON TIRES. TREAD WAS COMING OFF TIRE BECAUSE STEEL BELT UNDERNEATH TREAD WAS NOT PROPERLY ATTACHED TO SIDEWALL. TIRE SIZE: ST225/75R15, DOT NUMBER: PUHHP1KR. BOTH TIMES TIRES CAME APART, CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND TIRES WERE NOT OVERLOADED. TIRES WERE ONLY CARRYING 1900 TO 2000 LBS, APPROXIMATELY 70 DEGREES, WHEN RATED TO CARRY 2540 AT 65 PSI.*AK KELLY SPRINGFIELD TIRES ARE LABELED AS TOWMASTER, GOODYEAR AND KELLY DEALERS HAVE DENIED CONSUMER REPLACEMENT TIRES. *SLC

Service Brakes, Air
Filed Aug 1, 2000OH

THE 1998 HYUNDAI CONTAINER TRAILER AIR BRAKES LEAKED CAUSING LOCK UP RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH GUARDRAIL (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS

StructureCrash
Filed Jan 7, 2000CD

(STOUGHTON BOX/UTILITY TRAILER) TRAILER UNIT WAS TOO HIGH AND DENIED ACCESS ONTO ROADWAY, HOWEVER DURING TRAVEL UNIT MUST HAVE STRUCK BRIDGE/ROADWAY AT THE TOP OF THE UNIT CAUSING DAMAGE WHICH RESULTED IN BUCKLE/BOWING OF TRAILER AND COLLAPSING. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS

Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

(MAKE: COLE MODEL: GRANDVIEW TENT TRAILER)LP COVER BLEW OFF DUE TO LATCH FAILURE. MJS

Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer › Lpg Systems › Water Heater
Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

WATER HEATER PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE FAILED. *YC

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

TERRY TRAILER REAR DOOR POPPED, LATCHES ON BOTH SIDES FAILED. YH

Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer › Lpg Systems › Water Heater
Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

POP OFF VALVE FOR WATER HEATER. (NASH 5TH WHEEL TRAILER) YH

Tires
Filed Jan 5, 1999CA

TIRES RUB THE INNER PANEL AND COULD RESULT IN A BLOWOUT. (P235 X 15)

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Dec 21, 1998MO

TIRE TREADS FAILED.( MAKE: HULLO)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Jul 17, 1998KS

BRAKES NOT WORKING PROPERLY DUE TO BARE WIRE AND BAD CONTROLLER.

Power Train › Axle Assembly › Axle Shaft
Filed Feb 18, 1998DE

SUNLINE RECREATIONAL TRAILER (T2553), 1998 YEAR BUILT, DEXTER AXLE HAD NO LUBRICANT IN BEARINGS OR MINUMAL AMOUNT CAUSING BEARING TO OVERHEAT AND BURN UP ALMOST DETACHING WHEEL.

12 of 12 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20131000Routine
20121000Routine
20031000Routine
20012210Routine
20004200Routine
19995100Routine
1998 — this page12210Routine
199710100Routine
19967110Routine
199512110Routine
19949100Routine
19936100Routine
19926110Routine
19912100Routine

Compare every Trailer year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 15, 2002. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.